Yorkshire Wildlife Park has welcomed a new male sea lion to its colony. Cisco, who is eight, made the journey of almost 800 miles from the south of France via specialist transport.
He joins the Park’s breeding programme and will be gradually introduced to his new Park-mates over the coming weeks. Yorkshire Wildlife Park already has a colony of seven sea lions including Oakley, Hanno, Maui, Lara, Bailey, Coral and Stanley.
They live in Point Lobos, the expansive sea lion habitat that was purpose-built in 2021 and inspired by Point Lobos at Monterey Bay. The Californian reserve is home to its own sea lion colony where the dramatic Pacific coastline provides the perfect place for them to rest and breed.
Park staff said Cisco has been settling in well, and has been given access to a smaller pool where he can see and smell other sea lions.
Charlotte MacDonald, director of animals at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Cisco to the Park. He travelled really well and has settled in nicely since arriving. He’s been spending time getting used to his new surroundings, and he’s had access to the smaller pool, which is an important step as he continues to settle in.
“We’ll take introductions to the other sea lions very slowly over the coming weeks. He has already met Bailey and her daughter Coral through the mesh, and then they swam together for a while in the pool. But we will take everything slowly as every animal is different, and we’ll let Cisco do everything at his own pace.
“We’re looking forward to seeing him become part of the group when the time is right. His arrival is another positive step for the breeding programme, and we know he will make an important contribution in the future.”
Sea lions are said to be highly social animals, with Park staff taking care to manage the introduction of Cisco. They will monitor him over the following weeks as he continues to get used to his new home, with visitors invited to come and see his progress.
Cisco is just one of a number of new arrivals this summer with the recent birth of four cheetah cubs who can be seen in Cheetah Territory, a baby Titi Monkey in the South American walkthrough Amazonas and three Lar gibbons in the Malaysian Singing Forest.
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